Report sparks action on public service corruption

Attorney-General John Elferink says he will do everything in his power to stamp out corruption in the Northern Territory public service.

In his annual report the Commissioner for Public Interest Disclosures, Alan Borg, says a "clan mentality exists within certain small workgroups where improper conduct is tolerated and supported".

The report details police investigations against three people who have since left the public service.

Mr Elferink says the Government will not tolerate corruption.

"I am genuinely horrified by what I have seen," he said.

"I will take whatever steps are necessary to make sure that we have a fit and healthy reputation as a government, and as a public service."

Mr Borg reported that he had found evidence of corruption within councils and government departments.

He said some public servants were offered gifts by people hoping to secure a tender.

He says those instances equated to thousands of dollars and deemed to provide an unfair advantage.

"[They] related to issues of the release of confidential information, which enabled a tenderer to win a tender, and that then led on to other investigations and we found other issues as well," he said.

"We found issues in councils, for example, like remote councils and town councils.